Author
Topic: Pressed Cheese #2 -- Gouda #1 (Read 1087 times)

I'm making a gouda this morning, using the recipe from 200 Easy Homemade Cheeses.

So far, I'm thinking that there wasn't enough whey released; I've stirred the curds, and they are supposed to sink under the whey. I just don't see that much whey. I'll continue onto the scalding portion.

Curds look good, but I've got a larger yield than the mold can take.

And...the press broke again. I swear I'm going to have to make it out of metal. Same place, despite the fact that I used stronger 2x3 this time.

I ended up using 6-inch clamps, which got the job done. I have no idea what pressure, and because of the press mishap, the initial press made it uneven.

One interesting thing, for me at least, was that the only salt used was for the brine. I was surprised to realize that none was added to the curds at any point.

A shame about your press breaking. Still, with gouda you can "press under whey" to get a decent knit. This is where you put the curds in your mould (cloth lined), then put the mould in a pot of warm whey just covering the curds. Then, press. You don't need to use as much pressure (2-3 PSI should do it really well). Once you've done that (and flipped/redressed the cheese a few times in the process - say flip every 20 minutes for 3 or 4 flips) then you can press overnight. Keep the curds warm during pressing, at least initially, and you should get a decent knit.

Anyway, as for the salting, there are 3 basic methods for getting salt into the cheese. 1) mill and add salt (as in the cheddar types - but be aware some chedder type recipes will brine, or dry salt, - these are "rules" but techniques, which you can learn and practice and decide which one works best for you and the cheese you like)2) brining (as you've done with the gouda, and this is common for gouda and some other washed curd cheeses)3) dry salting. This is where you rub salt on the outside of the cheese. It draws moisture out of the cheese , this forms a brine, and then this gets drawn back into the cheese. This is common with some of the mould ripened cheeses (like brie and cam), but it is done with others (I think some of the swiss cheeses are done this way, for example).

There are far more experienced and knowledgeable people on this board who may correct me on some of this, and who may have other comments or details. This is just what I've picked up through my own observations, but there's still so much to see.

- Jeff

Logged

The wise do not always start out on the right path, but they do know when to change course.

Moved to the fridge two nights ago; temp 55F RH 99% (now down to 87%). I have two thermometers giving me wildly different readings, but now that I've removed a pan and it dropped to 90 (and I've calibrated it), I trust the new one that sits entirely in the fridge. IT takes longer for RH to change than I expected.

Interesting to have it dried out, only to be put into a fridge with a higher RH that makes it slightly more tacky.

Washed curd cheeses are interesting makes... I think one reason the salt isnt introduced during the make, as in cheddar, but rather at the end (brining) for a washed curd, is that the washing of the curd significantly slows the culture development.

Washed curd cheeses are interesting makes... I think one reason the salt isnt introduced during the make, as in cheddar, but rather at the end (brining) for a washed curd, is that the washing of the curd significantly slows the culture development.

When I think of gouda, I think of something that has salt throughout it, but apparently not. I guess that the salt works it way through...

Stupid me, thought I had...I'll have more right before I vacuum-pack it Wednesday night.